I am a Christian, a college student and a Digital Media Major with a Business Minor. I was homeschooled from 7th grade through the 12th grade, and I had great friends and teachers. I love the outdoors. I love to play tennis, go boating, kayaking and jet skiing. I love to spend time with my family and friends. I love to walk on the golf course and collect golf balls when the golfers are done. I love to laugh.

I’ve been working for HopeHouse International® as their Social Media Coordinator since 2014. HopeHouse International® provides HOMES so that ORPHANS can be ADOPTED by Christian families and raised in their own country. Soul-Care™ Theurapeutic Curriculum is a counseling resource of HopeHouse International® that trains parents to help their adopted children/teens/young adults journey from emotional brokenness to wholeness. I am the author of two Soul-Care™ Journals, one for children and one for students. These Journals use intentional prompting questions on each page that go directly to the hearts of the Soul-Care™ matter.

I’ve been asked to write blogs for HopeHouse International®. These blogs will be about my experiences, things that I have learned along the way, and ways that God has been leading me. I hope my blogs will be fun to read and a source of encouragement to readers. At the end of my blogs, I will share scripture and a youtube song lyric video for further engagement.

Hi, this is Adam, on the Orphanage Mission Team writing for the blog for the first time.

This week has encountered a lot of firsts for me: first time across the Atlantic, first international mission trip, first time visiting an orphanage. The list could go on. I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of this group that is so passionate about what we are doing here. It’s also been amazing to have my wife Keysha by my side for the trip.

At this point in the trip, we have seen orphans from all over this beautiful country and have fallen in love with all of them. One of the standout points for me so far was visiting the handicapped orphanage in Kherson. We were warned by those in our group that had been before that this would be an emotional day. I tried to prepare myself so that I could be a smiling face for the kids no matter how their condition may affect me emotionally. The amazing thing was that once the children entered the room, most of them in wheelchairs, I never felt the need to remind myself to smile. Their joy was contagious as we sang and danced and played with them. I was humbly reminded that no matter their circumstances, they are still children of God.

However, their circumstances still remain. The orphanages all do the best they can with the funds they are allotted and we were blessed to be able to deliver gifts of soap, diapers, and other necessities, but the sheer number of children in need means that some things have to be sacrificed. Children may only be able to bathe once a week. Some need medical care that cannot be afforded. They may share a toothbrush or have only a few outfits of clothing. The orphanage was never meant to be a permanent solution for these children. They need faithful men and women of God to step up and be fathers to the fatherless and mothers to the motherless.

Tonight, we got to meet one such couple and their story was inspiring and humbling. Vadim and Anstastia are a young couple roughly the same age as my wife and I. With them tonight were their two beautiful adopted daughters Karina (8) and Masha (5). The girls are biological siblings and have been blessed to be able find a forever family with Vadim and Anastasia. Many would consider it enough for this young couple to have provided a loving home for these two girls, but Vadim and Anastasia are also in the process of adopting their older sister and their two younger brothers. This is all in addition to having their own biological son, a toddler. For those of you keeping score at home that’s potentially six children in the near future for this young family! HopeHouse is currently helping this growing family renovate a house to provide room for all the children so these adoptions can become possible.

It was such an amazing contrast to see the hope that these girls have with their new family as opposed to those still waiting in the orphanage to be adopted. It was a wonderful picture of the work God can do through a family that is willing to follow His call. Please join us in praying that God will raise up more families to adopt the many who are still waiting.

Not a single member of our group was unaffected by this family’s visit, my wife and I included. I feel like many of our eyes have been opened to God’s calling for Christians to take up the cause of the orphan. Maybe it means more trips like this. Maybe it’s a donation to HopeHouse International. Maybe it’s becoming adoptive parents.

God is moving in the hearts of those of us here and our hope is that He is using our stories to teach you as well. We thank you all for your many prayers and support.

Another great day! We visited the orphanage for handicapped children in Kherson, Ukraine and had an amazing time. It’s always a bit overwhelming to see, no matter how many times you’ve been. The thing that’s always amazing, however, is the joy that those children have upon seeing us.

One teenaged boy we met last year named Sasha, who is missing parts of his hands and feet from birth, peaked his head into the gym where we held our assembly, and then immediately darted back out into the hall. In a matter of minutes he came bounding back into the room wearing his full soccer uniform, field shoes included!

Julie Rogers from our group shared a message of hope with the children, telling them that God loves them exactly as they are, and wants them to know that they can depend on him for their lives and their future.

We then spent plenty of time painting faces, twirling wheels chairs around, and taking pictures with them. Again, the joy in the room was really something special. One teenaged girl in a wheelchair was having a heart painted on her forearm and would burst out laughing with every brushstroke because it tickled so much!

Some of the older boys (on crutches and all) and Will, Brian, Caleb, Logan, and me from our group headed out to the field to play soccer. Let’s just say that the kids played against us like they really, really wanted to win.

And win they did.

The injustice of the way these children are treated, not only when they are young but into adulthood as well, is immense…

But we made a dent in it today.

We drove a stake in the ground, we drew a line in the sand, and we pushed the darkness back.

We went into a place where loveis like a far away galaxy–fathomed but not experienced firsthand– and we brought it as close as an embrace.

We went somewhere children are treated as different than the rest of society because they have a physical handicap, and we showed them that they are special indeed, because they are made in the image of God and he loves them exactly as they are.

We served these beautiful children with dignity and love because that is what they deserve.

I can’t tell you how proud I am of our team and how happy I am to be a part of this work. Thank you again for your support and your continued prayer. We have another busy day tomorrow!

I hope to have some thoughts from other members of our group posted here over the next few days, so please check back!

We are indeed headed home. We only seem to be missing one, in the head count, and DO hope it’s not your loved one (just kidding). We have a long six hour bus ride back to Kiev, and are looking forward to dinner in Amsterdam and to sleep in a real bed again. Pastor Sam prayed before we left the ship’s parking lot and we wept again for our week’s work. We must continue to pray for our children, and the harvest. Pray for us as we ride and fly these next 24 hours.

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Welcome to HopeHouse International®

In many countries, adequate housing is a barrier for most citizens, and it is a government prerequisite for adoption in most cases. HopeHouse International® enables adoptions by addressing adequate housing needs which result in three or more children being given a family and a future. Won't you consider joining our mission. Learn more by clicking one of the areas of interest above.

Our Mission

HopeHouse International® provides HOMES so that ORPHANS can be ADOPTED by Christian families and raised in their own country.